We Miss Artie, the only horse with two wins in 2014 and two graded stakes wins in his career, is the easy favourite for the race. He ran in the Breeders Cup Juvenile at the end off 2013 and started 2014 on the U.S. Triple Crown trail, winning the Spiral Stakes. He ran 10th in the Kentucky Derby then was shifted to start preparing for the Canadian season. He was an easy winner of the Plate Trial on June 15, but the Plate Trial winner has not won the Plate itself since 2010.

The lurking lady

On the day We Miss Artie won the Plate Trial, Lexie Lou ran a second faster over the same 1 1/8 miles to win the Woodbine Oaks for fillies. Lexie Lou will attempt to become the 35th filly to win the Plate but just the seventh since 1956. And only five Oaks winners have also claimed Canada’s most prestigious race, the last being Inglorious in 2011.

Mark Casse’s trio

He’s one of Canada’s most successful trainers but one accomplishment missing from Mark Casse’s impressive résumé is a Queen’s Plate victory. The six-time Sovereign award winner as the country’s top trainer will send three horses — including 4-1 second choice Lexie Lou and 8-1 third pick Matador — to the post in search of his first career win in Canada’s classic race. “I think this is the strongest hand we’ve ever brought to the table,” Casse said. “With any race you can have the best horses but you still need to have some luck. We’re ready. Sooner or later we’ll get this thing.”

A Bear that’s a horse

Asserting Bear also followed the U.S. Triple Crown trail for awhile, finishing fourth in the Spiral and eighth in the Bluegrass Stakes. His last race was the Marine Stakes at Woodbine, which he won but was placed third on a disqualification.

Will the Queen be there?

No. Like Halley’s Comet, she only appears occasionally. She has been at the race in person in 1959, 1973, 1997 and 2010.

The field for the 155th running of the Queen’s Plate, 11/4 miles on the polytrack at Woodbine to be held Sunday at 5:38 p.m. Horses listed by post position, with jockey, trainer and odds.